St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1887-08-04
PROHIBITION IN KANSAS.

Kansas has for many years furnish
ed arguments to sustain the positions
assumed by both prohibitionists and
license men. just now the former
better argument for prohibition can be
found than in the fact that wherever
prOhibitory laws are honestly enforced,
the whisky interests are found first
predicting and then declaring disaster
as a result. The latest instance of this
sort is found in the publication of the
statement that the closing of the sa-
looms in AtchisOn, Kansas, has reduc-
ed prosperous city to the verge of
bankruptcy. This story brings Gov.
Martin to his feet with letter over
his own signature refuting the state
ments and declaring without qualifica-
ton, that they were inspired by the
whisky interest, and intended to Gre
ate the impression that an efficient
city government could not be main
tanned without the revenue derived
from saloon licenses.
What are the facts z Atchison abol-
ished the last of it's saloons in the fall
of 1886, and the city is more prosper
Gus, to-day, than it has been for many
years past. Its wholesale trade dur
ing the first six months of 1887 has in
creased fully 80 per cent. over that for
the corresponding six months of 1886.
All the principal streets of the city are
now being paved. More substantial
improvements are being made, and
more buildings are being erected in
Atchison, this year than during any
previous year in its history. Many
new commercial enterprises have been
established in the city and, better than
all, hundreds of thousands of dollars
that were formerly wasted in the sa-
looms are now expended in feeding and
clothing and housing people, and as
result, thousands of wives and children
in Atchison who were living in power
ty few years ago, are now prosper
Gus, happy and contented.
What is true of AtchisOn is true of
the state of Kansas as a whole. Ev-
cry investigation into the practical
workings of the law attest it's value.
The prohibition amendment to the
Kansas constitution was adopted in
1880 and the first laws to enforce it
went into effect in May, 1881. The
war to Danish the saloons was, for
some years, only partially successful.
Public sentiment in its favor has stead
lily increased, however, and now the
governor doubts if $4,000 of the $780,,
600 male voters of the state would, if
they could, invite back and reinstate
the saloon.
But one argument of the whisky in
terest, viz, that saloons promote the
prosperity and growth of communities,
has been answered in Kansas, by the
convincing logic of facts. The state
has thrived under prohibition. From
advanced to 1850, 900; where it had
5000 miles of railway in operation then
it has 5000 now the assessed value of
real and personal property then was
100, $500, 900, now it is $500, 900, 900,
and the school houses, churches, news
papers, the number of acres of land
under cultivation and the value of
farm property have all increased in
number and advanced in value in like
proportion, while the percentage of
state taxation, which was five and one
half mills in 1880, is only four and one
half mills the present fiscal year. And
worthy of special note is the fact that
several cities and towns languished
or stood still until they abolished their
saloons, and from that date to the
present time their growth and pros
perity has equaled, and in some in
stances surpassed, that of other places
with equal natural advantages.
These are interesting facts to the
friends of prohibition. Gov. Martin
does not pretend to argue that the
phenomenal prosperity enjoyed by
Kansas is altogether the result of pro-
hibition, but he proves beyond ques-
ton that practical prohibition pays
any state and any community in the
matter of material prosperity, in the
matter of dollars and cents. The most
wonderful era of prosperity, of mate
rial, moral and intellectual develop
ment, of growth of country, cities and
towns ever witnessed on the American
has been illustrated in Kan
sas during the six years since the tenn
perance amendment to the constitution
was adopted, and especially during
the past two years, the period of it's
most energetic and complete enforce
ment.
At Brooklyn, N. Y, Rev. George NJ.
assistant pastor of the Cath
olic church of the Holy Trinity, preach
L. II a Il